5 questions with Falguni Kothari, author of ‘Soul Warrior’

5 questions with Falguni Kothari, author of ‘Soul Warrior’

Joyce: Welcome to HEA, Falguni! Please tell us a bit about your new release, Soul Warrior.

Falguni: With pleasure! Soul Warrior is an urban fantasy novel based in South Asian mythological themes. Think Marvel’s Thor meets the Mahabharata, the oldest and longest epic in the world. It’s the first book in the Age of Kali series, and tells the tale of demi-god Karna, the legendary guardian of the Human Realm, who suddenly finds himself battling not only his usual repertoire of evil creatures but also old enemies and a long-estranged family. My hero has his hands and house full in this vaudevillian saga of magic, mystery, intrigue and romance.

Joyce: Is there anything strange/interesting that’s happened to you while doing research for a book?

Falguni: As a matter of fact, I’ve had several spooky experiences after I took to writing. Let me tell you about the one that scared me the most. While working on my very first manuscript, nigh on six years ago, I became so adept and involved in daydreaming about scenes that once I actually daydreamed Mumbai’s concrete skyline instead of the barren-treed, snow-laden streets I was driving through. Didn’t matter it was the dead of winter in the burbs of New York, I felt the heat of Mumbai on my skin. For a second, I was transported to another place, like some kind of out-of-body experience. That was beyond scary. And I make sure I’m not driving anywhere when I’m in the zone now.

Joyce: Do you write by the seat of your pants (pantser!) or do you carefully plot your stories (plotter!)? Has that changed at any point in your career or maybe it changes depending on the book?

Falguni: I am both, a pantser and a plotter. Yes, it does seem to depend on the book. I find with contemporary romance and women’s fiction, I like the unpredictability of pantsing. Like allowing the characters to call the shots. With my mythic fantasy, and the romantic suspense I’m currently working on, plotting out scenes makes for less headaches and screaming. If the story must follow a specific path to climax, plotting helps.

Truffles demonstrates the Death Stare.

Joyce: Do you have a cat or dog who hangs out with you while you’re working?

Falguni: Yes! J My dog, Truffles, completely supports my writing career as it allows him to laze on the bed next to me at any and all odd hours of the day. He’s a natural-born alarm clock. That’s the Death Stare from the floor if I forget lunchtime — his, not mine.

Joyce: What’s your ideal scenery while you’re writing?

Falguni: Complete and utter darkness with just the light of a blank page staring at me. I write best on my bed, in my pajamas, mostly in the dead of night. There’s something about being not fully awake that brings out my most creative side. So I’ve learned to write new scenes between midnight and dawn, and do all other writing during the day … in front of my muted TV.

Thanks so much for having me here.

Joyce: Thanks for joining us! J

About Soul Warrior:

Fight fate, or succumb to destiny?

In the dark Age of Kali, the Soul Warrior alone stands guard over the Human Realm, protecting its denizens from evil-willed asuras or demons. When a trick of fate appoints him guru to a motley crew of godlings, he agrees to train them as demon hunters against his better judgment. Suddenly, Lord Karna is not only battling the usual asuras with sinister agendas, but also rebellious students and a fault-ridden past.

Spanning the cosmic realms of mythic India, here is a tale of a band of supernatural warriors who come together over a singular purpose: the salvation of Karna’s secret child.